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Fungal infection of the skin is caused due to many reasons. One such fungal infection of the skin is called the athlete's foot. Also known as the ringworm of the foot or tinea pedis, this causes a lot of reactions like scaling, flaking, itching etc. This disease is caused by fungi in moist areas. When people walk without any footwear in certain areas which are moist, then the genus trichopyton causes these fungi.These moist places include places like the bathroom or showers. Basically found in the feet area, this infection is found to affect other areas like the groin. When it spreads to other areas, then it is called by a different name.Then it is referred to as tinea corporis of the body or limbs and tinea crucis of the groin. Athlete’s foot is found occurring mainly between the toes, especially the fourth and fifth digits of the leg.
The ID reaction
Sometimes there is an allergy caused by this fungus causing athlete's foot and this is called the "id reaction". In this condition, there are lot of blisters which occur and coupled with the vesicles, these appear in the hands, chest and arms. Thus the main idea behind treating athlete's foot lies in solving the "id" reaction.
Spread Of The Disease
This disease is infectious. This is caused by a fungus called Trichophyton which is a parasite. This needs a body to grow on. The class of the fungus causing the disease could be trichophyton rubrum or trichophyton mentagrophytes. It is normally transmitted in moist surroundings like bathrooms, locker rooms, showers. This could also be transmitted by wearing other footwear, rather by wearing the footwear worn by the infected person.Towels used by an infected person is also a good medium of transmission of athlete’s foot.
It is to be understood that the parasite which causes athlete's foot could also cause skin infections on other parts of the body. This is often found in the under portion of the toenails or on the groin. When the under toenail is affected, then the condition is called onychomycosis and when it affects the groin, then it is called tinea cruris.
